Time Between Thunder and Lightning
by Yongo
Summary: Lightning makes the first move, and thunder follows. That's a metaphor for Ren and Kyouko. That's as deep as I'm gonna go. Unsatisfied with their romance thus far? Read this and be merry. Supposed to be a oneshot but isnt. What that means? Complete
1. The Meeting

**Hi **

**This is a Skip Beat story rated 'T' for Teen. It could've been rated something lower, but I don t like, or really know what fits into the 'K' rating. So it s rated 'T' for this. _FUCK_. There.**

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"Oh man!! This is bad this is really bad!" A short haired girl was loudly mumbling to her self as she burst through two big LME doors. "Tsuruga-san will kill me." Her eyes widened with fear at the thought of being given his 'special' smile. Her running pace quickened.

"Ah, Kyouko!"

"Kyouko-chan Welcome!"

The President of LME and a grey suited kind eyed man greeted the heavy breathing girl as she timidly entered the room.

"Hello President-san, Yashiro-san, Tsu-Tsuruga-s-san..." she managed to say, her eyes quivering, afraid to look at the statuesque man sitting across from the two older men in the room.

"Kyouko..." Yashiro smiled at her, "why don't you sit down?" Her eyes went to him and followed the point of his finger. They widened once again and she shook her head furiously.

"Mogami-san," At the mention of her name, she couldn't help but meet the gaze of the voice that mouthed it. A shiver went down her spine at the sound of this particular voice. "Won't you sit next to me?" His face wore the smile she feared the most. The smile that made her lose control over her actions making her only want to please him. The facade of a smile he gave when angered. She had to obey and quickly. With intense speed, she took the empty seat next to him.

"Ah, there- there you go." Yashiro gave a nervous chuckle at the situation and looked at Ren with furrowed eye-brows. 'He's most likely hurt she was reluctant to sit with him, but he didn't have to act like that.' He sighed and looked at the relaxed brightly smiling man next to him. "President, I believe we can begin."

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_'She's three minutes late. Where is she? Did she run into that fool? ... Get into an accident hurrying to get here?'_

"Ren!" The black haired man by staring out the window turned back to see his manager sheepishly eyeing him. "Ren, why don't you take a seat?"

The man by the window smiled. "Yashiro, you know as well as I do I've been sitting all day and will be sitting for quite a while longer today, don't you think I deserve to give my legs a nice stretch before they fall asleep?" Throwing his startled manager a smile, he turned his gaze back to the window.

Yashiro scoffed but before he could counter the words Ren had spoken everyone turned in the direction of the door as they heard screams increasing in volume approaching the room. Yashiro laughed and so did other third gentle man in the room.

"We should all take our seats then, so we can begin once she steps in." The President of LME, a regal looking man dressed in an outlandish Arabian outfit, stepped away from his desk and took a seat on one of the twin couches in his office. Yashiro followed suit sitting next to the gentleman. This left the tall dark-haired and handsome man to share a seat with himself. His eyes brightened as he took his seat.

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"S-so... I m working with Tsuruga-san?!" The girl looked at both men sitting across from her then finally the man sitting next to her. Her eyes were the perfect example of 'googley.' Ren looked a little stunned himself.

"President Takarada, I don't think she is ready." The girl's heart dropped along with her eyes, her hands clenched her skirt. She was not wearing her infamous "Love Me" outfit, for the purpose of this particular meeting.

'What is his problem?' Yashiro cast a quizzical look at the man responsible for making the former bright girl into the somber one she had now become. As he did so, Ren's face, for a moment, gave Kyouko a side glance and had a look that Yashiro was able to catch. He looked a little longer at Ren, who had now assumed the demeanor he had perfected; appearing aloof.

"My dear Kyouko, you and Ren were both requested by our Korean affiliate. You will be shooting the same brand but not posing together. You understand? Ren will represent the men's part of the brand and you the women's."

"Oh..." Uttered the girl still looking down.

The President smiled, "Yes. It's a Japanese brand a friend of mine wants to cross over to Korea. He wanted my recommendation. I gave the task to Sawara-san and he came up with Ren, and you Kyouko. Yashiro liked the idea when I approached him with it and he assured me Ren had room in his schedule."

"Oh!" Exclaimed a more enthused Kyouko. Her eyes had assumed their 'googley-ness' and she was off in a world of her own. 'Travel~!' She thought, 'Over seas... an over sea romance... My prince~ will see me in my photoshoot and whisk me away...'

"Kyouko-chan?" Yashiro and the other men where staring at the girl who's body was the only part of her present in the room. "... K-Kyouko-chan?" Yashiro tried again.

Kyouko was lost in dream land. _'Make-up~! Oh~ so lovely...' She let out a sigh, 'Takarada-san's friend? If he's anything like Takarada-san...' _She clasped her hands together and her face took on a hopeful look. _'It'd be an exotic shoot! Maybe an Arabian Princess shoot,'_ Her minds eye envisioned her posing in many different glorious Arabian-esque garb, _'or Empress of Japan... or...'_

"Mogami-san?" Kyouko was forced out her thoughts by the weight of a hand on her shoulder. She looked to her left and was no longer envisioning her fantasy but looking at Ren Tsuruga's eyes. The eyes many women loved and swooned over, the eyes crew members of 'Dark Moon' were slightly jealous she was so close with, the eyes that often gave her a scolding look when it seemed no one was around. This was the look those eyes were giving her now. "Mogami-san, the President was still explaining something. In showbiz, it's important to not space out when given a job. Details are everything."

"Now, Ren..." Chimed Yashiro trying to save Kyouko as well as stop Ren from getting farther and farther on the girl's bad side.

"It's ok Yashiro-san!" She turned to Ren, "you're right!" This took him aback. Her attentions were now on the President, determination written all over her face. "Takarada-san. I'm not sure how to pull of an English royalty, but I will do it!"

The men froze. All thinking the same thing, 'R-royalty?'

"Kyouko-"

"No, Takarada-san. I will make you proud! I will wear anything! Corsette! Tall wig! A mole! I can do it!"

"No, no Kyouko-chan... that's not at all what I-" The president tried correcting the girl, but to no avail. This time she was verbally expressing what was in her mind's eye.

"Of course, of course not! What am I thinking? A rags to riches!" The 'googley-eyes' returned. "I can see it now. A tall, handsome and evil landlord," she in-avertedly looked at Ren as she said this, "and a damsel in distress." By this time, she had stood up, acting out only what she was able to see. "In rags. The dirtiest..." She let out a sad sigh, but perked back up! "Aha! Of course. They'll have to put 'bad' make-up on me and then...," her eyes bulged, "my beautiful transformation will be that much better!" At this new idea, she squealed and froze in her thoughts.

The gentlemen continued their discussion.

"Yashiro, I trust that you will get them to the airport as soon as possible then?"

"B-But, President Takarada... she-" he hesitated as he looked nervously at the fantasy land Kyouko, "Is she really in the state to go?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," chimed Ren, "I'm sure once she discovers what the shoots about, she'll be alright. After all, we get to keep the clothes."

All of a sudden, all of Kyouko's weight was on Ren's body. The men were shocked. She was panting, her face red, and eyes swirling.

"We. Get . To . Keep .The . CLOTHES?!" She gasped deeply and fainted. before her body could drop Ren Tsuruga supported her back, guided her head onto his shoulder, and shifted her body so her feet were over his lap. He smiled a boyish smile.

"O...O-ok," The flamboyant president of LME was taken aback by Kyouko's fairyland overdose. Chuckling to himself, he sauntered to his desk and picked up the phone. "Hello? Why yes, yes it is. Yes," he smiled into the phone looking in the direction of his two favorite talents, "yes, quite perfect actually."

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_'What am I going to do with this girl...'_ Ren Tsuruga let out a quiet sigh. _'She's so...'_ He smile crept on his lips but he quickly remembered where he was and looked up. His trusting manager was discussing plans with President Takarada, but Ren wasn't listening closely. He could feel Kyouko softly breathing on his neck, her breath sending shivers down his back making his neck hair stand. What was it about her? How was she able to arouse such, such, sensations from him? He mulled this over in his head taking in her strawberry scented hair. Working with so many actresses, acting in scenes that required pushing the envelope on how close he was with various actresses. After all, how had he reigned for so long, unopposed, as Japan's number one male actor?

He had never felt anything all those times. Acting next to some of the prettiest women in Japan; how had he never felt this way? How had they not extracted these feelings from him?

"OK. Oh-" Yashiro was now standing in front of Ren. "Haha, I see she's still out huhn?" His face was brimming with a knowing smile and Ren rolled his eyes at that. "Well I'll de-brief you two on the car ride to the airport. We have to leave now."

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**I'm sorry The next one picks up, and should be slightly better. This started off as a one-shot buuuuut yeah**

**I hope you enjoyed it a little, but stay tuned for the next chapter coming up very soon.**


	2. The Plane

**Yongo**

_**Time Between Lightning and Thunder**_

_**Chapter 2: The Plane**_

**As promised a quick update and here it is!**

**Hope: To get this story out my head before going back to school **

**Cheers ^_^**

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"Oh, I understand." Kyouko Mogami was seated in the back seat of the sought after actor Ren Tsuruga of LME's car. And seated in the passengers seat was his kind manager, Yukihito Yashiro flipping through a planner. "So you won't be accompanying us then Yashiro-san?"

"That's right Kyouko-chan." He mumbled, nose still in his planner. "Ren knows all the details so-"

"Am I to be her keeper Yashiro-san?" Ren interrupted nonchalantly.

"No, no!!" She replied, "Tsuruga-san will be busy with his photo-shoot too!! I can take care of myself Yashiro-san!" Her objection might as well have been a mere mumble because Yashiro scolded Ren.

"Ren, she is after all your kohai. Whether or not this is her first time out of the country, as your kohai, you are, in fact, her 'keeper' as you put it." At that, Ren's body posture changed, but he said nothing in reply. Yashiro turned to the slightly stunned girl in the back seat.

"Kyouko-chan, it's all been more or less arranged. But you must realize, we are going to a foreign country. Where you're going, perhaps only the director of the shoot might speak the same language as we do." He paused for a second and rubbed his temple, "actually, as a friend of Takarada-san, he may not even speak Japanese..." The manager slumped back into his seat with a groan. "Alright, you two; regardless, all the arrangements have been made. You will be boarding the same plane as well as living in the same hotel." He pushed himself from the seat and began searching in a bag between his feet. "Another assistant of the president will meet us at the airport with your boarding passes."

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On the plane.

_'This is driving me mad.'_ Ren Tsuruga was seated in the third row of a seven rowed plane section. The seat next to him, the window seat, was empty aside from his carry on. 'Damn that Yashiro...!'_ His mind trailed back to 30 mintues before, a scene he had been replaying since boarding the plane._

"And Kyouko this is yours." Yashiro handed the pass over to the eager 16 year old and began to walk away.

"Wait. Yashiro-san..." Kyouko stopped him. "I have a single seat... I won't be sitting next to Tsuruga-san?" Ren furrowed his eyebrows and unfolded the boarding pass he had so casually stuffed into his pocket. He looked at it with renewed interest. 3B . 3B ? Then she must have 3A. '

"See, look." She walked over to where a perplexed Yashiro stood, "here, look. It says '7A-single.' That's a single seat right?" The man in the grey suit accepted her ticket and examined it. He then walked over to Ren and took a look at the seat number on the black-haired man's ticket.

"Wow." He shook his head and look apologetically from Kyouko to Ren, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do about that now. Your flight boards in a bit."

"No! It's OK!!" Kyouko threw him a smile. "This is fine, this way Tsuruga-san can rest without me yapping away by his side." Ren looked at her. "Also, I can take a look at the magazines the assistant just brought of last year's Japan line."

"Right, right. Alright, then." Yashiro looked at his client and gave him a secret apologetic smile, "sorry about the mix up..." he muttered and left.

_'Mix up indeed!'_ Ren Tsuruga fidgeted in his seat. He heard laughter behind him, clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

"Excuse me, sir." A cute blushing air-hostess was what he saw when he opened his eyes. "Sir?" She repeated. He gave her his trademark smile. Her widened and she was aware of it, her blush deepened. "S-sir you've been a bit uncomfortable the entire flight. Do you need a pillow. We should be landing in a few minutes."

He gave her a confused look, "have I?" He looked to his stomach, "it may have been something I ate." He finished of with a chuckle which took the stewardess by surprise. She giggled and stumbled away. Any attention from Ren Tsuruga, number one sought after male in Japan, was enough to make even women with the steadiest legs stumble.

He sighed. Of all the women that had to penetrate his heart... why did it have to be one that had sworn to never love again? A teenager, no, a woman who did not fall for the same thing all other women around him did.

Ren had no problem lying to the stewardess. Well... it wasn't entirely a lie. He was sick to his stomach, but not due to food. This time giggling from the back of the plane filled his thoughts one more time. He looked back.

Kyouko was chatting away with the man sitting in the single seat across from her. "Damn that Yashiro," Ren muttered under his breath. _'Look at her. Isn't she supposed to be studying the magazine or something?'_ Glaring at the man the object of his affection was chatting with, he thought, 'doesn't she know how infectous she is? Look at his smug little face... He's falling for her already!' Pulling himself from the scene behind him, he looked out the window. Clouds. Uninteresting. How many times had he traveled abroad for work? It never changed. There was a comfort in knowing there'd always be stewardesses smiling at him, meeting a new director, wearing the latest clothes for a shoot and the room service. Modeling was a nice break from acting. He had to be an empty shell to express the clothes. It was like acting without the memorizing and direct interaction. There was a comfort in the never changing experience of oversea projects. But this time...

"HAHAHA! Oh Mogami-san!" This time, there was **_THAT_**. This was the first overseas shoot he had done since she sauntered into his life, uninvited. She forced herself in really. But... that wasn't the bad part. The alien feelings that were stirring inside, the emotions he was so good at portraying in romance movies, those of jealousy, he was now experiencing first hand. He sniggered. It's funny how his life had changed. This was a great example. The simple actions he took for granted, the ones he found 'comfort' in, were now... lacking in some way. Lacking, that is, until she was a part it. After all, even from his first oversea trip, he had never been happier accepting a shoot before.

Knowing she would be a part of it excited him. Once he found out, prior to the meeting, that she would be in a separate shoot, possibly with another male model, he did not want her taking part. Granted, this was a selfish point of view. As she was his kohai, seeing her succeed should be something he wanted... but, at this point, she was more to him than just a 'kohai.' Also...

The black-haired man sat up and ruffled through his carry on and produced a fashion magazine. Sighing, he began flipping through it. He paused after landing on a certain page. It had the name of the designer he would be working with. A smile crept on his face, but was soon replaced with a grimace. '_These pictures,_' he thought, '_would've been perfect for us_!' He chortled, '_for me._' The pictures he was looking at where the designers past line. High fashion clothes featuring female and male models in awkward close contact poses which show-cased the features of the clothing. He threw the magazine in the empty chair and slid his hand down his face. "That could've been us."

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**Well, that s all for now. More later!**

**Thank you very much for your encouraging words and I can t wait until I get the entire story out to you.**

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	3. The Hotel

**My goal is to finish this story before the next chapter comes out. Let's hope I can do it!**

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Last time

The black-haired man sat up and ruffled through his carry on and produced a fashion magazine. Sighing, he began flipping through it. He paused after landing on a certain page. It had the name of the designer he would be working with. A smile crept on his face, but was soon replaced with a grimace. '_These pictures,_' he thought, '_would've been perfect for us_!' He chortled, '_for me._' The pictures he was looking at where the designers past line. High fashion clothes featuring female and male models in awkward close contact poses which show-cased the features of the clothing. He threw the magazine in the empty chair and slid his hand down his face. "That could've been us."

Now...

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_'Hmm, I wonder what's wrong with Tsuruga-san. He's been angry since we got off the plane... He almost left me at the airport!!'_ Kyouko peeked at the tall man she was trying to keep pace with. _'Yup,'_ she confirmed looking down again, _'he's definitely upset.'_ She sighed and angry sigh, _'what did I do this time?!'_ With that, she hit her head repeatedly.

Upon arriving at the hotel, they gave the door man their luggage and entered the hotel. The hotel foyer was long, wide and with a color scheme of gold and red. The entrance had a red carpet leading to the front desk where a young woman, dressed in a similar but darker blue to the doorman, stood. By the desk and the edge of the big room were two grand, slightly spiraled red carpeted golden staircases, which met on the second floor making a short level. This level, led into a hallway that led to the rest of the hotel.

"Mogami-san?" Ren looked down at her not slowing his pace.

She didn't have to look up to know what expression his face had; she could hear it in his tone. She looked up anyway. She was right. The smile. The facade of a smile was staring at her again for the second time that day. What had she done that was so wrong?

"Y-yes, Ts-Tsuruga-san?" She quickly replied ending with a smile she believed to be convincing.

"Hmm." Was all he said as he turned his direction and quickened his pace.

_'NO!!!'_ Her brain was swarming with the days events. Her demons and angels helping her sort through which memory may have upset him. _'Which one?! Which one?!'_

***We're looking boss, we're looking.*** Her spirits replied, quickening their sifting pace.

***Could it be you didn't speak to him on the plane?*** One of them brought up.

_'No,'_ she thought, _'I didn't think he'd want me disturbing him.'_

***Could it be he's just hungry? You know how men are, cranky when they don't eat-*** The angel spirit looked at the other spirits too late. They were all shaking their heads and making "shush" faces. Kyouko's demon spirits surrounded her as memories of her feeding Sho, whenever he was upset, flooded her head.

_'THE ONLY GUY I EVER COOKED FOR WHEN CRANKY WAS SHOTAROOOO!!!'_ Her angels tried to calm her down reminding her that if Tsuruga-san saw her this way, he'd grow even angrier knowing she was thinking of her revenge on Shotaro. The angel logic was over-powered by the hatred.

***KILL! We must KILL Shotaro and feed his intestines to the crocodiles.*** Her evil aura was slowly growing. She began to cackle, scaring most of the people around her. Evil images of Shotaro's death crowded her mind and her smile became one even the most evil villain would be afraid of.

"Mummy, what's that lady doing?" A little black-haired girl in a pinkish outfit, staring at Kyouko's display, grabbed onto her mothers slacks in fear. Her mother looked down at her daughter and turned around following her daughters gaze. Kyouko's anger was getting incredibly out of control and began to affect the little girl. "Mummy I feel sick, I'm scared."

Realizing how afraid her daughter was, the mother stormed over to Kyouko.

"HEY!" She yelled as she approached Kyouko and gave her a strong tap on her back. "Take it outside!" The mother gave her an aggressive glare but was soon overwhelmed by the feelings surrounding Kyouko and slowly began to back away.

Upon feeling someone touch her, Kyouko turned back to hear the woman's last words as well as the fear in her eyes as she tried to get to her daughter. Because the woman was Korean, Kyouko did not understand what was said. The confusion took her out of her hatred for a few seconds. The angels took this opening and advised Kyouko to simmer down outside the hotel, noting the fresh air might clear her head.

Outside the hotel, she leaned against the part of the wall closest to the hotel entrance and took the scenery in. Korea was beautiful. Greeting the doorman with a nod, a smile introduced itself to her face and she inhaled the fresh air. Then...

The sky rumbled.

Kyouko froze. Thunder?

The doorman noticed her sudden stillness. He gently put his hand on her shoulder and asked her if she was 'OK'. Even with the language barrier, a concerned tone remains a concerned tone. This was enough to shake Kyouko back into reality and she smiled at him. Suddenly something hit her conscience.

"TSURUGA-SAN!!" She yelled frightening the doorman. She had completely forgotten about her angry 'caretaker' in her Sho related fury! Making a mad-dash to her previous position in the hotel, she surveyed the foyer. He was no where insight.

Approaching the front desk the woman behind it greeted the girl with a smile. Kyouko, remembering the incident with the mother, realized that this woman behind the desk might not speak Japanese. She tried anyway and spoke really slowly.

"Heeellloooo. Have youuu seeen a maaaan?" She placed her right hand horizontally over her eyebrows as though shading them from sun to illustrate 'see'. "Taaaaalll," she raised her hand in order motioning an estimated height of the man she was looking for, "Taaaaaalll," she repeated. At her next descriptor her cheeks acquired a pinkish hue. "Hannnnd... haaaanndsome. Taaaaalll haaaaandsoome maaaaaan have youuu seeeen?" She finished, making all the necessary motions again.

The women behind the counter had a bewildered look on her face and burst out laughing.

"Ma'am, I speak Japanese." Kyouko's chin dropped. "This is a Japanese owned hotel." Her eyes popped out and streams of tears exited her eyes. Her face turned bright red, as she tried to collect herself.

"Hi... I'm looking for a man. Ren Tsuruga." The woman behind the counter, who had been chuckling while Kyouko collected herself all of a sudden, became stern.

"Ren Tsuruga? The ACTOR?! _**YOU'RE**_ WITH _HIM_!?"

Kyouko sighed. She was used to this kind of treatment from women. Something... SHO (at the thought of Sho a nerve became visible on her left temple)... something she was well acquainted with from her _past_ life.

"No, we work together, in the same company. That's all it is." The woman squinted and examined Kyouko, taking in her features from top to bottom. She smirked. This was something Kyouko was also familiar with. The women re-examined Kyouko's face and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Wait!" Her eyes were suddenly large with excitement. "Y-you're from DARK MOON! You are! You are!!!" Kyouko blushed and simply nodded at the woman behind the desk. "What can I help you with?" The woman seemed more eager to help Kyouko after recognizing her.

"Here," Kyouko reached into her pocket and pulled out her hotel papers deciding she would be able to find Tsuruga-san some other time. The woman looked at the paper, turned around and entered a back room. She returned with keys and a suspicious smile.

"Here's your key ma'am," handing over the key to Kyouko, the attendant winked. "Your room is right next to his."

_''His?''_ Kyouko gave the woman a crooked confused smile, and began to find her way to her room. _'Who is sh- ... ooh...'_ Suddenly hit with the realization of which man the woman was referring to. "Tsuruga-san?" She whispered as she made her way up the left grand staircase.

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_'I wonder what it's like...'_ Ren Tsuruga entered his room and placed his carry on a chair close to the door. He looked around, but his eyes were blank. The room was an attractive one. Being a four-star hotel, it had more than one room to it. The entrance itself was a small but not suffocating room. Able to hold about three sumo wrestlers with a lot of wiggle room. Exiting this room, advancing further into the hotel room was a wide and spacious area with glass sliding doors straight ahead leading to a big balcony with a sea view. The room itself was as big as a studio apartment.

Ren walked around the place, feeling it out and getting familiar with his new home for the next couple of days. It had a dinning table, a kitchen unit section on one side, and on the other was the entertainment electronics. With a plasma screen of course. To the far left of this room was a spacious bathroom equipped with bathtub and shower. To the right of the room, side with the kitchen unit, was the bed room accompanied with a canopy bed. Ren headed straight for the bed.

He sat on the edge and continued with his train of thought. 'I _wonder what it's like.'_ He allowed gravity to guide his upper body and it hit the bed emitting a 'kshh' sound. _'To be so engrossed in someone that much. To have every movement they make transmit a reaction that strong.'_

His mind trailed back to witnessing Kyouko get into her 'Sho' mentality. He scoffed and picked his body back up. _'It's stupid.'_

Getting to his feet, he decided to take his mind off of things and walked around his room. It had the same sliding doors as the living room had. Were they connected? Deciding to check, he walked over and opened the doors. His room welcomed the breeze and so did he. He closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled with a smile.

_'A thin line between love and hate.'_ He chuckled and allowed himself to walk forward. Placing his weight on the short brick wall and railing, he appreciated the sea view, another smile finding its way on his face. Making half a turn, he let his back lean on the brick wall as his eyes were now facing his room. _'A thin line.'_ He mused and looked up at the sky. The clouds were dark, it looked like a storm was coming. A cool breeze hit his back.

_'Funny how, until now, I never truly paid attention to that cliché.'_ Passing his fingers through his dark hair, a motion which made the muscles in his arm want to break out of his white button up shirt, he closed his eyes. _'I don't like it. It means she could, at any moment...'_ He squeezed his eyes tighter together, _'go... Go back to him.'_ At that thought a shiver coursed through his body and he shook.

"Love and hate," he muttered. "Love..." Another breeze whistled in his ear and he slowly opened his eyes.

Looking to the right of himself, he noticed that there was a brick wall the length of a regular wall blocking him from his neighbor's balcony. Privacy. Nice. The left was another story. The right part of his balcony was much, much, much longer. Granted, the hotel room was huge and his living room shared the same balcony, but the living room was not as long as the length before him.

Ren to investigate and walk the length of the balcony. Upon reaching the edge of his living room, he began taking cautious steps, letting his head lead as opposed to his long legs. He stopped himself. He turned back shaking his head and chuckling. As he approached his bedroom, he considered giving his manager a call. After all, he didn't want him worrying needlessly. Exiting his bedroom and making his way to the entrance room where he left his bag, he heard a key twisting and turning in his lock.

Opening the door, he froze.

"Tsu-! Tsuruga-san!" Kyouko stared at him, bewildered. "What are you doing in my room?"

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**So, like I said. I'd like to get this out of the way and out of my head before the next chapter of the actual story comes out. Haha, I like to hear what you guys think of my storyline, so feel free to drop a review! It also definitely gets my writing juices flowing faster. I have about a week until school starts back up again, so the faster those juices can flow, the faster I will pump this out! We all know what school does to fan fiction writers and their stories. One word: Hiatus. **

**Yuck! Oh, and, fuck. **


	4. The Bed

**Yongo**

**_Time Between Lightning and Thunder_**

**_Chapter 4: The Bed_**

* * *

**_Last Time_**

Exiting his bedroom and making his way to the entrance room where he left his bag, he heard a key twisting and turning in his lock.

Opening the door, he froze.

"Tsu-! Tsuruga-san!" Kyouko stared at him, bewildered. "What are you doing in my room?!"

**NOW...**

"Your room? This is my room," Ren managed to say with a sturdy voice. Luckily he had the door to hold on to. This girl had a way about her, she was able to figure him out. He hoped and quietly prayed she would not notice his jelly legs.

"Y-your room?" She looked puzzled. Ren reached for the paper she was now looking at.

"See, here Mogami-san." He pointed to some huge numbers plated in gold on the left side of the door. "This is 314 and this," he looked at her paper. "This paper here says... room 314..." He froze once again, his mind swirling with thoughts.

'The same room? Yashiro didn't... He _couldn't_..! The same room? That's taking it too far. _There's only one bed_!' His last thought sent a current through his body and his thoughts trailed...

"Ohhhhh...! Haha" Kyouko Mogami, the handsome Ren Tsuruga's kohai, gave herself a slight smack on her head and laughed.

"W-what?" Ren said seemingly composed. He had never been so grateful to be an actor than this current moment.

"See here, Tsuruga-san. Right here on your door. It has an A. My room papers have a B!" She laughed. "Thank God we're not sharing a room! Thank God! That would've been horrible! Phew! Crisis averted!"

"What?" Ren blurted out.

"Tsuruga-san! Aren't you relieved? This could have ruined my career! Haha! Sharing a room with Ren..." She continued but Ren was no longer listening.

_'Huhn.'_ His heart was sinking._ 'Ha... what a smack in the face. Of course... it would ruin her career...'_ Still in thought, he looked at her beaming face._ 'She doesn't want anything to do with me... Why? Why do I forget she doesn't think of me the way I do her. I'm not in HER heart... Someone still occupies it... Her reason for being in my life. **Him**.'_ He turned away.

"- and I mean the tabloids! Our sharing a hotel room would've damaged you. I wouldn't want to be the cause of that. You've worked so hard over the years to be number one and I would take it away just by this misunderstanding. Aren't you happy... Tsuruga-san?" The girl had realized that the man in front of her was no longer standing there.

"Tsuruga-san? It's great isn't it?" He had already exited the small room and was making his way to his bedroom when she stopped him. "Yashiro would've been up to his neck in phone calls! Trying to explain and make people understand..." She trailed off as the man in front of her turned and was facing her. The look in his eyes was...

BOOM

The girl yelped and looked in the direction of the noise. The sky was rumbling once again. Her hand plopped back down to her side. During her yelp she had grabbed on to Ren's white sleeve. With the fierceness her hand hit her side, she realized that the man in front of her and yanked his hand away from her hold. She looked at his face again and was met with the anger she had witnessed before the thunder's interruption.

...

_'Thunder?_' Kyouko was in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, right hand cupping her left elbow.

She chuckled and smiled, with more than a hint of fear in her eyes. It was funny how she found fear in her worst fear. It was odd but along with fear, there was a certain comfort to it. This was one thing... he... had never shared with her. Or rather, something, she had never shared with... _him_. As a little girl under the care of _HIS_ parents, whenever it thundered she always hid somewhere in her room. Too frozen in fear to move. The mistress of the inn would always assume Kyouko was busy elsewhere and ...he... would doing whatever he did, not worried or wondering about her whereabouts. So, no one ever knew about this fear.

...

"How _dare_ she!" Ren was putting his lavishly long legs to work, pacing back and forth in his luxurious living room. "How _dare _she!" Furiously running his hand through his perfect black hair, he continued to pace, head shaking from side to side in disbelief. Letting out a scoff he stopped. Elevating his hands to his head, and balling hair in his large hands he inhaled and let out a slow exhale. His hands falling down to his sides. The actor turned his head to the door, the previous scene with his kohai replaying in his head.

Shaking his head, as though to shake the film in his mind's eye off, Ren made his way to the bathroom, ran the water and picked up a towel. In his room, he mindlessly stripped and wrapped his bottom half in the towel walking to the bathroom. The room had a nice steam in there due to the water running, but Ren took no notice until he caught his reflection in the mirror. He paused. Hair ruffled, cheeks flushed making his high cheek bones more prominent. Turning away and ridding himself of the towel all in the same motion he opened the glass door to the shower, stepped in and closed it behind himself.

The muscle cuts on his body being accented by the running water, Ren spread the shampoo on his hands and began to wash his hair, mind still thinking about Kyouko.

_"Thank God we're not sharing a room! Thank God! That would've been horrible! Phew! Crisis averted!"_ The memory of her words and glee made his stomach churn. He rubbed his hair furiously.

Stepping out of the shower, and picking the towel off the ground, the statuesque man patted himself dry and made his way to the bedroom. Ruffling through his bag, he found a change of comfortable clothes and adorned himself.

The room was dark by the this time. The sun's dusk light no longer penetrated the room. Tsuruga wandered over to his living room balcony and decided to take part in whatever little sunlight was left. The breeze was slightly harsh on his undried hair sending a cold shiver through his body. Leaning on the balcony wall, his hands grasping the edges he inhaled the cool air and let out a deep regretful sigh.

_'How dare I let my mind go that far..._' Coming to terms with the true source of his unsettled anger, he watched the sun dip behind the water's horizon.

...

"Yashiro-san, Oh~ It's been _amazing_!" Kyouko, laying on her large queen sized bed was glowing. Switching her body's position, she took the landline phone to her other ear. "I loved it! The shoot was fantastic!"

On the other line, Yashiro let out a chuckle.

"I'm glad to hear you had fun Kyouko-chan. I-"

"I just wish I could stay here a bit longer, y'know?" She cut in, voice still filled with excitement. "The shoot locations were great but, Oh goodness! The sites on the way! They were _breathe takin_g Yashiro, I would love to check them out y'know? And the **_CV_**! It was soo much fun to shoot!"

"Yes, Kyouko-chan, you sound really happy, I'm looking at the test photos now. You did fantastic as always" Yashiro responded amusement in his voice, wondering if Ren had seen the intimate poses of one particular shoot. Ren Tsuruga's manager heard the young LME employee take a breath, about to interrupt, but before she could he quickly let out, "about coming back to Japan." The man heard a deep sigh on the other line and chuckled. "Now, now don't be so excited, haha" he mused jokingly, "about coming home, I had to move your flight to another day, so-"

He was again stopped by the excited squeals of the girl, who was now no longer laying on her bed but in an upright and excited position. "So I GET TO STAY?!" Her squeals continued and Yashiro knew better than to try to get information throguh to her in this state, he waited for an opportunity.

"Kyouko-chan? Ky-Kyouko-chan!" He said raising his voice a little, to get her attention.

"I'm sorry Yashiro-san, please continue." He could tell by her voice she did in fact feel sorry but was holding in her glee. He smiled. Ahh, youth.

"No worries Kyouko-chan. The flight has been postponed due to some climate change. Now it's most likely nothing serious, it's just a precaution. You know, Ren doesn't like waiting in airports and usually when things like this arise," pride filled his voice, "I, as his manager, make alternate arrangements for him to make him more comfortable." The other line was noticeably quiet. "Hello? Kyouko-chan, are you still there?"

"Oh!" She had a faraway sound to her voice. "I'm sorry Yashiro-san, I'm still here."

"Ah, good." Yashiro made a mental note to kick himself later. Knowing full well why what caused the change in her mood, he attempted to change the subject. "Yes, well, I thought I should let you know. I will send the new details to the front desk and have them deliver the papers to your room."

"That sounds great, Yashiro-san. Thank you so much for going through all this trouble." He could tell she was trying to cover up the somberness in her voice. He sighed.

"Are you alright Kyouko-chan?" Knowing full well what the answer was, he still asked.

"Is Ren alright?" She asked concerned. "I haven't seen him since we booked in four days ago and... well, I don't know." Yashiro heard the sincere concern in her voice. _What_ was that man doing to this girl! He would have to remember to scold harder the next time he spoke to Ren.

"Oh, don't worry Kyouko! Because Ren is such a big name, he was booked for another shoot and so he's been keeping busy." This wasn't a lie, but it also was not the reason his star client had avoided the girl on the other line.

"Oooh!" Yashiro heard her voice gain light. "He's been BUSY," he heard her smile. "Good! Thank you so much Yashiro-san. Please send my hello's and thank you's to the President for the wonderful opportunity."

"Sure," The manager could not help but smile into the phone. "I will keep you posted with the details, until then enjoy your stay Kyouko-chan." With that, he hung up.

...

_'I wonder what she's doing._' Ren Tsuruga mused sitting, cross-legged on one of the corner seats of three seater couch in his living room facing the turned off plasma screen. Script in his left hand and a cup of tea in his right he smiled, an image of a Kyouko happily zoned out over some latest fascination danced around his mind.

He had not seen her since the room key mix-up, but had used his star status to get to see the photos from her shoot. The were good. He put down his cup of tea on the table, even the ones with that... man. He furrowed his eyebrows and sighed. If they had been cast to do the same shoot, he could've been the man in the photos with her, not that no good male model!

Turning his attention back to his script, one of his next projects, he realized how dark it was in the room. When did it get that dark? Had his mind really wandered for that long? Placing the script next to the cup of tea, arching his back forward he stood up from the window and walked towards the light switch.

BOOM.

There it was. Ren sighed. The storm. So I guess it was true this time, he sighed and walked over to the open balcony door. Something flickered in and out of his right eye's peripheral. He looked to his right and saw curtain from the next room flying in and out of sight. Kyouko must have left her sliding door open, he shrugged sliding his own door shut.

In the other room, he heard his cell phone ring. Briskly walking to his room, he picked up the device off of the bedside table.

"Ren Tsuruga."

"Hello Ren." Uh oh. Ren could tell the following conversation with his manager would not be a pleasant one.

"Hello Yashiro, the reports were right. There seems to be a storm coming this-"

"Ren" Yashiro stopped him. "Have you spoken to her yet?"

"To whom?"

"Ren," Yashiro sounded exasperated. "Don't play with me. That girl sounded worried. You know you overreacted this time."

"Overreacted?" Ren was a bit caught off guard. Granted he had yelled at his manager for booking rooms that were so close to each other and ones that caused the confusion, but he did not expect his manager to see through the façade.

"Look, I have to get off the line soon. Your flight's back are going to be next to ech other, so unless you want an awkward trip back... make it right with her." The line fell quiet. "Hello? Hello? Ren? Are you still there?"

"Yeah." Yashiro let out a sigh.

"Alright, well," he trailed off, "I need to go, I will call back sometime tomorrow." All Ren could hear was the beeping of the dead line for a few seconds then silence. He put the phone back on the bedside table and let out a deep exhale.

For all his nosiness, Yashiro was right. Ren hadn't made a move towards seeing Kyouko since the room mixup. He knew why. He knew that everything Kyouko had said that day was right. Her reputation would have been ruined. Her dream of becoming a top actress and defeating..._him_ was all she ever thought about. And his own reputation wouldn't have taken much of a hit, in fact it may have elevated his status to _'bad boy_' actor. So why was he so angry?

It wasn't Kyouko's fault that they weren't two regular people meeting under different circumstances. It wasn't her fault that her heart got trampled on by that Shotaro guy. Even though she did make it painfully easy for her heart to be tampered with... Any female in their right mind would leave a guy that wasn't appreciative of their nature. But, Ren chuckled, Kyouko wasn't a regular female. She was _fiercely loyal_. He sighed once more._ 'fiercely loyal enough to stay with Sho, but not fiercely loyal enough to come to my room every day and see if I was still upset?'_ He stormed out of his room and began pacing in the living room.

WHAT was she DOING to him? How had he become this, this, SELFISH, JEALOUS,_ BROODING_ man. If people knew, HA! If people knew what was behind his calm exterior they would be disgusted. He stopped and flung his head backward, letting out a groan. He needed fresh air.

His eyes sauntered over to the sliding door and saw droplets of water the wind had placed on the glass. Not minding the idea of getting wet, so long as he got some air, he meandered across the living room floor, opened the sliding door and was greeted by a gust of wet wind. Quickly closing the door behind him, he took support on the wall on his left and enjoyed the ocean view. Allowing his mind to wander.

BOOM. CRACK!

The thunder brought his mind to the present. Clothing slightly damp, he took his eyes of the ocean and as he was about to open his door, another gust of wind came at him and he noticed the flapping curtain once again. He rolled his eyes. That girl! The rain was going to carry itself into her living room and get the carpet wet. He walked the length of his balcony and crossed over to hers.

Where was she, by the way? It was fairly dark out, the shoot was done earlier in the morning, she should've been in the apartment. Tsuruga hands engulfed the door handle and as he was about to close it, a thought struck him. She probably fell asleep and left it open. He peered past the curtain and into her living room... no lights were on.

CRACK! BOOM!

"Ahh!" Ren heard a yelp in the apartment. His ears perked up.

"Kyouko-san?" Nothing. He tried again, and still there was no reply. Worry filled him. "Kyouko-san?" He said a bit louder and waited for a response.

CRACK!

This time he heard a faint whimpering sound. He had a hunch of what was going on. Taking a gulp,he entered the room casting any 'scandal' thoughts aside. He followed the whimpering. The layout of this room was exactly like his, just opposite. He cautiously knocked on the bedroom room that was slightly ajar.

"Ky-Kyouko-san?" He whispered. His current circumstance dawning on him. What if she had taken a shower, heard the lightning and was in this dark room somewhere... _naked_.

"Tsu Ru .Ga.S-San?" Responded the shaken voice in the dimly lit room. Upon hearing her voice, Ren's instincts took over. He opened the door more.

"N-No!" He stopped. Oh no. _Was_ she naked?!

"Kyouko-san,... are you dressed?" Realizing how strange the question must have been Ren mentally kicked himself. But he had to know. Kyouko hesitated before answering. What would he do if she _was _naked. Leave her be?

"Yeah I- AHH!" Another loud thunder-clap ripped through the sky. Ren clenched his jaw.

"I'll be right back Kyouko-san, don't worry." He left and hastily made his way to the glass sliding door in the living room. Shutting it, he secured the lock and closed the curtains, making the room truly dark. tumbling his way through the darkness, he knocked on Kyouko's bedroom door again, only to hear whimpering.

"I'm coming in." He could hear her, lungs gasping for air to trying to make a verbal attempt to stop him from entering, but he didn't care.

She was sitting on the floor the farthest corner from the door. Her hands covering her face, knees point to the ceiling in an upright fetal position. She looked helpless. Ren's heart sank. He cautiously made his way over to her and one knelt in front of her, while resting his head on the other knee. He was awestruck. Was she... _crying_? Could this creature. This fiery creature. Ever in some state of hyperness be brought to such...

"Kyouko-san?"

"... Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"...Yeah."

"Are you... crying Kyouko?" He knew, of course he knew. But... he had to KNOW.

"No." She choked out.

"Yes, you are..." Yes. Ren Tsuruga was a certified idiot. But, he had to _see_ for himself.

"No!" Her head shot up. Their eyes met, "I'm not!" She was. Her face was glistening with fresh tears, her innocent fear struck eyes building up with tears ready to drop at her next blink. She buried her head again, pulling her knees even closer.

The man in front of her was stunned. This girl in front of him. This obnoxiously loud, annoying, bubbly, kind-hearted girl... looked so _beautiful_ it put him to shame. At this moment. In this state. _She was his_ _kryptonite_. All he could do was stare. _How _did she _do _this to him?

The sky rumbled, and she gasped. Her sudden movement drew Ren out of his trance. He got up and at his movement his kohai lifted her head.

...

_Tsurga-san had seen. No one knows, now he knows. He must think I'm stupid, and an idiot. I'm so embarrassed! I wish he would leave. But, I'm so afraid. No one has ever been around when this happens and it was always so... scary. I'm so scared._

She gasped and her body froze. The sky had rumbled. It sounded farther away than it had before..._ Tsuruga-san must have closed the sliding door. Thank God he came when he did. But... he saw... Oh, what he must think of me._

She felt Ren get up and fear hit her. She looked up and watched him. Where was he going? '_Please don't leave_,' she begged in her mind. She would apologize later and make it up to him for being so, so weak, but... she needed him. For some reason, she needed him to stay. There was a familiar comfort. As if hearing her thoughts, Ren smiled at her. Her eyes followed his body as he took a seat next her, the leg closest to her stretched in front of him, while the other bent with his knee pointing to the ceiling. He just sat there. She wrapped her hands around her legs and rested her head on her knees.

...

Astraphobia. He smiled. Who would've thought. Oh all the things to bring this great force of a woman next to him down... the irrational fear of thunder. He wasn't going to leave her. Not now. Until he was 110% she would be alright, he wasn't going to leave her. His smile got bigger as he noticed her breathing get calmer and slower. Glancing at her he noted her new position. He flung away from him, her neck practically craning and legs sprawled out in front of her.

What kind of a man was he? He chuckled softly. What a low down dirty guy. He took pleasure in fear. No. His heart broke to see her so afraid, but to see her **feel **that strongly about something that wasn't the joker Sho. With Sho, she went to another place. A place where he still lived in her mind. This place she was currently in, was a place he could access. This place he preferred. With Sho no one could reach her. Even in her pure hatred of him, he **still **had a hold on her. But here, right now, _Ren was present_. Ren could be there with her in this. _This_ he could handle.

With a loud exhale Kyouko's head changed positions and plopped itself on Ren's shoulder. His heart skipped a beat. Body frozen, Ren's eyes side glanced at his left shoulder. There she was, resting on his shoulder. Fast asleep.

The weather outside had quieted and all that could be heard was the pitter patter of the rain. After ten minutes of trying to move his body he couldn't take it anymore. He gently placed his left arm around Kyouko's waist, and just as gently changed his positioning to cup her body by having is right hand scoop her off the floor from behind her knees. Carefully elevating his body, a great core exercise, he made it to an upright position without her waking up. She was a heavy sleeper it seemed.

He walked her over to her bed and placed her on the side farthest from him, so he could support himself with the bed as he layed her down. One knee on the bed for strength and the other foot on the ground for balance he placed her body on the bed slowly. As her body made contact with the bed, she changed positions, rolling her head away from him to the other side. This movement made Tsuruga freeze and crouch down a little more so as not to wake her. Maintaining this position for about minute, Ren slipped his right hand from under her knees and attempted to free his left hand likewise. He was stuck. He was seriously stuck.

_'Shit._' He thought. _'Shit._'

Ren was never one for yoga and at this moment he began to regret that. He could feel the shakes coming and those vibrations would sure wake Kyouko. He sighed.

_'I can't believe this._' He blushed.

Ren, supported himself with the right hand as the leg that was balancing him out on the floor lifted it self on the bed. He brought his body weight slowly onto the bed, until his body acted as the 'big spoon' to Kyouko's little spoon.

_'I can't believe this._' His heart was racing. Not only from the impromptu core workout, but at the fact that he was literally spooning with Kyouko who was practically unconscious. There HAD to have been laws against this kinda thing.

The rain subsided leaving the only audible noise of Kyouko's breath. The sound of her steady breathing paced his fast pounding heart. The smell of her strawberry hair calmed his nerves and relaxed his body. Ren's body loosened. Kyouko shifted in her sleep, and his body froze once again.

She had the worst timing and even worse, what would she think if she woke up at this moment. Woke up to find her sempai... cuddling with her._ 'What a pervert!'_ She'd think. He sighed and studied her face._ 'What **WOULD** her reaction be to this scene...'_ he wondered.

Her innocent eyes were closed had puff bags underneath, and her cheeks were slightly flushed. How had he never noticed how cute her nose was? Maybe cause every time he saw her she mouth was always taking attention away from anything else on her face with all her yap yapping, he silently chuckled. Those lips. Some stray strands of her short hair rested on her face. A few fell really close to her lips. He wondered if the hair in her face was a usual thing for her. If it bothered her while she slept. Her lips looked a little dry. Ren could nearly make out the lines of the bare lips. Following the lines, the all, more or less, led inwards. Hmm! Lips were perfectly parted. .._.Perfectly parted_? Perfectly parted for what, exactly.

Various scenes from past movies he had done flashed in his head. He had always drawn inspiration for those scenes from what it would possibly feel like to be in a situation such as this. A situation where one wants the other so badly, all reason doesn't seem to make sense in the moment. No 'acting' could beat raw emotion. Such INVITING lips.

Ren found his head leaning closer and closer to Kyouko's. His breath suddenly mimicking hers. Eyes transfixed on her slightly parted lips.

"Tsurusaan..." Kyouko murmured, chomped at nonexistent food, curving her mouth into a smile.

Ren, blood completely drained from his face, froze. Head still hovering dangerously close to Kyouko's. Gaining his composure, and breathing a hefty sigh of relief he backed away and settled back into his previous position. Chuckling, he gently shook his head. '_Timing_.' Head settling on the pillow he looked at Kyouko once more and grinned. Her steady breaths, the soundtrack of the room, soon to be joined by his own.

**The End.**

* * *

I am so so sorry. I hope you liked it?


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